Paddy Barnes: 'I'm taking my title back'

Paddy Barnes beat Blaine Dobbins to secure his final spot at the 2014 Irish National Elite Championships

Double Olympic medallist Paddy Barnes has vowed to regain the Irish light-flyweight title on Friday night.

The Belfast man faces reigning champion Hughie Myers, in a rematch of the 2012 final, which Barnes won narrowly.

Ryston boxing club's Myers won the 49kg crown in 2013 - Barnes did not compete last year because of flu.

“Hughie Myers only took my title because I was sick and didn’t weigh in last year," Barnes told RTE Sport.

"But Hughie is a very good boxer. We fought before and it was very very close. In the last fight, in 2012, I underestimated him a bit and tried to blow him away.

“Hughie is very good at what he does, with his hooks, and I played into his hands going in all guns blazing and he countered the life out of me.

“It was a close fight, I still came out on top but now going into Friday’s final I know what he does best and I’m going to take it away from him.

Six-time national champion Barnes, who drops back to light-flyweight after competing in last year's World Championships at flyweight, expects a tactical battle against Myers but believes that fear of losing is his secret weapon.

“It’ll be very tactical. I know what he does, and he can only think one way, but he’s very good at it," he said.

“What motivates me the most is that I’m afraid to lose. So I have to train my hardest.

“If I lose, it’ll be in the back of my head, everyone will be talking about me - ‘Oh Paddy Barnes is on the slide’ - I’m scared of that so I train my hardest and I’ll be the best prepared I can be.”

Nine National Elite Championships finals will be decided at the National Stadium on Friday night, with the women's finals taking place on Saturday.